Automatic survival device actuation system



June 26, 1962 Filed June 23, 1958 D. JAFFE 3,041,021]

AUTOMATIC SURVIVAL DEVICE ACTUATION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR D.LAWRENCE JAFFE ATTORMEY-S.

June 26, 1962 o. JAFFE 3,041,021

AUTOMATIC SURVIVAL DEVICE. ACTUATION SYSTEM Filed June 25, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Iii-$2 INVENTOR.

D. LAWRENCE JAFFE ATTORNEYS United States Patent Qfifice 3,041,321Patented June 26, 1962 3,041,021 AUTOMATIC SURVIVAL DEVICE ACTUATIONSYSTEM David Lawrence Jatie, Great Neck, N.Y., assignor to Polar-adElectronics Corporation, Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of NewYork Filed June 23, 1958, Ser. No. 743,821 14 Claims. (Cl. 244147) Thepresent invention relates to a system for rendering survival devicesoperative and particularly to a radio system for automatically actuatingsurvival devices, such as life preservers, parachutes, life rafts andthe like.

Survival devices are needed in times of emergency or disaster, whichobviously is a period of great stress and when each second of time canbe the difference between life or death. There can be no time wastedfumbling with latches, pulling pins or cords or the like in order tomake a survival device operative. Instructions that would be ordinarilyremembered and followed in normal times are forgotten or confused intimes of stress. In order to avoid the possibility of mistakes or errorsin emergencies, a great deal of time and effort has been spentattempting to make survival devices ready for immediate use but withlimited success. As an example, life jackets of the type normally usedon large vessels are filled with cork, kapok, or other light buoyantmaterial to provide a lift jacket that is ready for immediate use, butthis type of filling makes the jacket bulky and awkward when worn.Because of the inherent awkwardness of such a life jacket, there is atendency not to wear it until an actual need arises. However, the greatmajority of survival devices in use today require some acts of the useror wearer to actuate them. There are inflatable type life jacketsavailable which avoid the bulkiness and awkwardness of the ready-to-usejacket, but these require some acts be performed by the wearer toinflate them, such as connecting the life jacket to a source ofcompressed air or carbon dioxide. Similarly to operate conventionalparachutes a ripcord must 'be manually pulled after a certain length oftime upon leaving the airplane. In times of stress the operator mightpull the ripcord too early thus possibly getting the shroud of theparachute caught on the planes fuselage. Since the parachute acts as asurvival device only if the ripcord is pulled, if the wearer isunconscious on the downward descent or otherwise unable to pull theripcord, the survival device is of little use.

With larger numbers of privately owned boats and airplanes being usedthroughout the United States as a source of family recreation and meansof transportation, safety authorities have urged as a matter of safetythat a survival device should always be worn by those on the craft,especially the smaller children.

Accordingly a need exists for a survival device that will be renderedoperative automatically when the need arises without requiring anyfurther acts of the wearer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means forautomatically rendering operative a survival device upon the separationof the survival device from a craft.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an actuatorunit for attachment to the standard types of survival devices which isfree from any physical attachment to any outside source;

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a systemfor positively actuating a large number of survival devices requiring nofurther action of the wearers upon removal from a vessel or craft.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a systemfor automatically inflating a life jacket when the wearer fallsoverboard or otherwise removes himself from the vessel.

A still further object is to provide positive actuation of a parachuteafter a suitable time interval upon leaving an airplane.

Still another object is to provide a survival device actuating systemthat accomplishes all of the above and yet is simple, relativelyinexpensive and reliable in operation.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more apparent whenthe following description is considered in connection with the annexeddrawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective drawing of a standard type life jacket showingan actuator unit according to the present invention attached thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic diagram showing one form of actuator unit;

FIGURE 3 is a schematic diagram showing one form of connection of a loopantenna mounted on a vessel;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a parachute showing an actuating unitattached thereto; and

FIGURE 5 is a schematic diagram showing another form of the actuatorunit adapted for use on the parachute.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 an inflatable life jacket 11 is provided withan actuator unit 12 which is fastened in any known or suitable manner tothe life jacket 11, preferably in close proximity to the connection forthe intake valve 13 on the life jacket 11. Attached to valve 13 is ahose 14- with the other end of the hose 14% connected to a container 16at 17 as shown in FIG. 2.. The bottom portion of container 16 is pivotedabout a hinge 18 and has holding clamps 20 attached therein for holdinga standard type carbon dioxide capsule or cartridge 19 fixedly in place.On the side of container 16 opposite the hinge 18 is attached a clasp 25which fits over a projection 35 on the hinged bottom portion ofcontainer 16 for holding the top and bottom sections together for makinga tight seal. It will be understood that container 16 is one way forchanneling the escaping gas from the carbon dioxide capsule 16 to thelife jacket 11 and that any other devised way of accomplishing the samepurpose may be employed. Located within the upper portion of thecontainer 16 is a piercing mechanism 21 having a sharp pointed prong 23which is poised above the exposed end of the carbon dioxide capsule 19.The piercing mechanism 21 has a spring 22 normally keeping the sharppointed prong 23 away from the carbon dioxide capsule 19. A solenoid 24has an armature contiguous to the remote end of the sharp pointed prong23. Solenoid 24 is connected to a battery 26 through a relay 27. Relay27 is connected to a simple battery-operated radio receiver 28 having apredetermined threshold sensitivity so that when radio signals above acertain intensity are re ceived by the receiving antenna 29 the outputof receiver 28 energizes relay 27 keeping open the solenoid circuit andthus preventing puncturing of the carbon dioxide container 19. Bythreshold sensitivity is meant the lowest intensity of input signalreceived necessary to produce an output signal sufficient to operate therelay attached to the receiver. Radio receiver 28 may be small in sizeand light in weight by using transistors which require but a smallbattery.

As shown in FIG. 3, attached to the perimeter of a vessel 32, whichvessel could be of any size or shape, is a transmitting antenna wire 31in such a manner as to form a loop antenna 33 having a highly selectivetransmitting pattern. Antenna 33 is connected to a low-powered radiotransmitter 34, preferably of a low frequency type in the 1 to kc.range. The radiated field intensity within the antenna loop 33 isrelatively constant. over the entire space encompassed by the loop, anddecreases rapidly upon leaving that space, particularly in a directionperpendicular to the plane of the loop.

A person wearing the life jacket 11 anywhere on board the vessel iswithin the antenna loop 33 and thus within the field of the transmittinantenna. As long as the life jacket 11, with the actuator 12, is withinthe excited transmitting antenna loop 33, a signal above the thresholdsensitivity of the receiver 28 is continuously received by receivingantenna 29 which is utilized by radio receiver 28 to produce an outputwhich energizes relay 27 to keep open the circuit for solenoid 24.Spring 22 is of sufficient strength to keep the sharp pointed prong 23in its rest position removed from the carbon dioxide capsule 19. Whenthe person wearing life jacket 11 is separated from the vessel 32 by anymeans, such as accidentally falling overboard, the receiver 28 which hecarries is removed outside the plane of the loop and the strength of thetransmitting field is substantially reduced due to the selectivity ofthe loop and the low power of the transmitter. Even a few feet outsidethe antenna, the receiver 28, with its selected threshold ofsensitivity, is no longer Within the effective range of the low powertransmitter 34, so as to produce an output sufficient to energize relay27. Relay 27 is accordingly deenengized, completing the circuit betweenbattery 26 and solenoid 24, thus supplying power from battery 26 tooperate solenoid 24. Solenoid 24, upon being energized, is of suchdesign as to overcome the restraining force of spring 22 and forces thesharp pointed prong 23 to pierce the carbon dioxide capsule '19 allowingthe carbon dioxide gas to escape into the gas tight container 16 and outthrough hose 14 into life jacket 11 causing life jacket 11 to beinflated.

An on-oif switch 30, located between the battery 26 and the solenoid 24,prevents the actuator unit 12 from operating when the switch 30 is open.Therefore, to store the present invention for extended periods, orwhenever the transmitter 34 is not transmitting signals, the switch 30is opened to prevent the solenoid 24 being operated by the battery 26.

Actuator unit 12 may be enclosed in a watertight case so as to bereusable after immersion in water. Also the used carbon dioxide capsulecan be easily replaced and the actuator unit is ready for useimmediately. In like manner as above unit 12 may be attached to aninflatable type life raft. In times of emergency a deflated raft may betossed into the water and automatically be inflated for immediate use.

As a modification of the above described system, transmitter 34 can beof still lower frequency and receiver 28 can be a magnetic inductionreceiver.

A further modification is shown in FIGURE 4 where the actuator device49' is attached directly to the back of a parachute 42. Actuator 40differs slightly from actuator '12 as described hereinabove. It isnecessary in operating the parachute that a predetermined period of timeelapse from the time the wearer leaves the airplane until the opening ofthe parachute in order to be certain that the wearer is entirely clearof the airplane before the parachute opens. As shown in FIG. actuatorunit 40 has a slidably mounted ejector bar 43 connected to the ripcord41 of parachute 42 which operates the parachute release when pulled. Bar43 is the actuating arm of a solenoid 44 which is operated by a battery46. Battery 46 is connected to solenoid 44 through a timer 47 when therelay 48 is deenergized. Timer 47 may be any suitable electrical ormechanical means of delaying the dos ing of the solenoid circuit afterrelay 27 has been deenergized and may be incorporated in the relayitself or be separate as shown in FIG. 5. Relay 48 is connected to abattery-operated simple receiver 49 having a predetermined thresholdsensitivity so that when radio signals above a certain intensity arereceived by the receiving antenna 51, relay 48 is energized by theoutput of radio receiver 49. Switch 52 is located in the solenoidcircuit and prevents the actuator unit 40 from operating when the switch52 is open. In a fashion similar to the form of the invention describedabove relative to FIG. 3, the perimeter of the craft is wired so that aloop antenna 33 is formed which is connected to a transmitter 34. .Whenthe person wearing the parachute 42 is within the loop antenna 33 (i.e.in the craft) the receiving antenna 51 and the transmitting antenna 33are electromagnetically coupled allowing receiver 49 to produce anoutput which energizes relay 48, preventing solenoid 44 from beingpowered by battery 46. When the wearer of the parachute is separatedfrom the craft, such as by jumping from the plane, receiver 499 of theactuator unit is no longer within the plane of the field and thus nolonger within the effective range of the transmitter 34 and relay 48 isaccordingly deenergized. After a suitable time delay, determined by thetimer 47, battery 46 energizes solenoid 44 to move bar 42. which pullsrip cord 41 operating the parachute release. This automatic parachuterelease device will not interfere with the normal manual operation ofthe parachute by the pulling of the rip cord 41 by hand.

While the present invention has been described in the above embodimentsas using a loop antenna for the transmitting field, exactly the sameprinciple may be applied to other type antennas utilizing the radiatedor induction field of the alternating current.

Since many apparently differing structures may be readily devised bythose skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the presentinvention, it is understood that the foregoing description isillustrative only, the scope of the invention being defined solely bythe claims granted to me.

What is claimed is: I

1. A safety system for automatically inflating a survival device havingan inflatable member, comprising a directional transmitting loop, meanscoupled to said loop for exciting said loop with low powerelectromagnetic fields, and an actuating unit attached to saidinflatable member including receiving means having an output circuit forpicking up said field and producing an output signal solely in responseto said field, relay means in the output circuit of said receiving meansenergized by said output signal, a source of gas connected to saidinflatable member for inflating said inflatable member, and solenoidmeans operatively connected to said relay means for releasing said gasto said inflatable member in response to the deenergization of saidrelay means.

2. A system for automatically inflating a survival device having aninflatable member, comprising a transmitting antenna having adirectional wave pattern, means exciting said antenna for producing anelectromagnetic field of low power, receiving means attached to saidinflatable member for picking up said field and producing an outputsignal solely in response to said field being above a predeterminedintensity, a source of gas connected to said inflatable member forinflating said inflatable member, and means operatively connected tosaid receiving means and adapted to release said gas to said inflatablemember in response to the termination of said output signal, wherebysaid inflatable member is automaticaly inflated when said receivingmeans is outside the pattern of said transmitting antenna.

3. A safety system for automatically actuating a parachute upon removalfrom a craft comprising a transmitting loop defined by the perimeter ofsaid craft, means to excite said loop with electromagnetic fields of lowpower, and an actuating unit attached to said parachute includingreceiving means having an output circuit for picking up said field uponsaid actuating unit being situated within said craft and producing anoutput signal in response to said field, relay means in the outputcircuit of said receiving means energized by said output signal, andsolenoid means operatively connected to said relay means for actuatingsaid parachute after a predetermined time in response to thedeenergization of said relay means.

4. A safety system for automatically actuating a parachute which isreleased from a craft comprising a transmitting loop defined by theperimeter of said craft, means to excite said loop with electromagneticfields of low power, and an actuating unit attached to said parachuteincluding receiving means for picking up said field and producing anoutput signal in response to said receiving means being within saidloop, and means operatively connected to said receiving means foractuating said parachute after a predetermined time interval in responseto the termination of said output signal of said receiving means.

5. A safety system for enabling a survival device to be actuated uponits removal from a predetermined volume comprising, in combination, asurvival device, a trans mitting loop defining said volume, means toexcite said loop with low power signals for producing an electromagneticfield that is constant within the said volume, receiving means attachedto said survival device for picl ing up said field when in said volumeand producing an output signal solely in response to said field beingabove a predetermined intensity, said output signal terminating inresponse to said receiving means being outside said volume, and meansoperatively connected to said receiving means for receiving said outputsignal and rendering said survival device operative in response to saidtermination of said output signal of said receiving means.

6. A safety system for enabling a survival device to be automaticallyactuated upon its removal from a predetermined space comprising, incombination, a survival device, a transmitting antenna defining saidspace, means exciting said antenna with signals for producing anelectromagnetic field of predetermined intensity, said field being ofless intensity outside said space, receiving means attached to saidsurvival device and picking up said field and producing an output signalin response to being within said space and said field being at least ofsaid predetermined intensity, said output signal terminating in responseto said receiving means being removed from said space, and meansoperatively connected to said receiving means and rendering saidsurvival device operative in response to said termination of said outputsignal of said receiving means, whereby said survival device isautomatically actuated upon removal of said receiving means from saidspace and the effective influence of said transmitting antenna.

7. A system for automatically actuating a survival device upon removalof the device from a predetermined space energized above a predeterminedintensity by an electromagnetic field of localized transmitting patternof a loop antenna, said space being defined by said antenna, comprisingreceiving means adapted to be attached to said survival device forpicking up said field upon being situated in said space and producing anoutput signal in response thereto, said receiving means having apredetermined threshold sensitivity for producing said output signalonly upon said field being above a predetermined intensity andterminating said signal in response to said receiving means moving fromsaid space, and means coupled to said receiving means for receiving saidoutput signal, said means connected to said survival device for placingsaid device in operative condition in response to said termination ofsaid output signal of said receiving means whereby the survival deviceis rendered operative in response to said receiving means being removedfrom the predetermined space.

8. A safety system for automatically actuating a parachute having arelease cord upon removal from a craft, comprising a source ofelectromagnetic radiation of predetermined intensity throughout saidcraft, said radiation being of less intensity outside said craft and anactuating unit attached to said parachute including receiving means forpicking up said radiation and producing an output signal solely inresponse to being within said craft and said radiation being above saidpredetermined intensity, and means connected to said release cord ofsaid parachute for pulling said cord and thereby actuating saidparachute, said means being operatively connected to said receivingmeans for pulling said release cord after a predetermined time intervalin response to a decrease in said output signal of said receiving meansby removal from said craft.

9. A system for automatically actuating a survival device having aninflatable member upon removal of the device from a predetermined spacedefined and energized by an electromagnetic field of localizedtransmitting pattern, comprising receiving means adapted to be attachedto said inflatable member for picking up said field upon being situatedin said space and producing an output signal in response thereto, saidreceiving means having a predetermined threshold sensitivity forproducing an output signal only upon said field being above apredetermined intensity, a source of inflating medium connected to saidinflatable member for inflating said inflatable member, and meanscoupled to said receiving means for receiving said output signal, saidmeans adapted to release said inflating medium to said inflatable memberfor placing said inflatable member in condition in response totermination of said output signal of said receiving means whereby theinflatable member is automatically inflated in response to saidreceiving means being removed irom the predetermined space.

10. A system for automatically actuating an inflatable member upon theremoval of the member from an electro magnetic field of a transmittingloop antenna encompassing a predetermined space said space being definedby the loop of said antenna, comprising receiving means having an outputcircuit and adapted to be carried by said inflatable member, saidreceiving means being responsive to being Within said space and saidfield being at a predetermined intensity for producing an output signal,said signal terminating in response to said receiving means beingoutside said space, relay means operatively connected to the outputcircuit of said receiving means and energized by said output signal anddeenergized in response to said signal terminating, solenoid meansoperatively connected to said relay means and energized upon thedeenergization of said relay means, and means operativeiy connected tosaid solenoid means for inflating said member in response to theenergization of said solenoid, whereby said inflatable member isinflated automatically in response to the removal of said receivingmeans from said space.

11. A safety system for automatically actuating a parachute which isreleased from a craft comprising a transmitting loop defined by theperimeter of said craft, means to excite said loop with electromagneticfield of low power for producing an electromagnetic field ofpredetermined intensity within said craft, and parachute opening controlmeans for causing opening of said parachute when outside the craft, saidparachute opening control means including means responsive to said fieldWithin said craft being of said predetermined intensity for producing anoutput signal, said output signal terminating in response to said fieldbeing below said predetermined intensity, and supplemental timer meansresponsive to the expiration of a predetermined time after thetermination of said output signal of said receiving means to open saidparachute.

12. A safety system for enabling a survival device to be actuated uponremoval from a predetermined space comprising, in combination, asurvival device, a transmitting loop defining the perimeter of saidspace, means to excite said loop with low power signals for producing anelectro magnetic field of a predetermined intensity within said loop andof less intensity without said loop, means carried by said survivaldevice and responsive to said field situated within said loop forproducing an output signal, said output signal being terminated inresponse to movement of said receiver means without said loop, and meansresponsive to said termination of said output signal for actuating saidsurvival device and rendering it operative.

13. A safety system for automatically actuating a parachute which isreleased from a craft comprising a transmitting loop carried by saidcraft, means to excite said loop with electro magnetic field of lowpower for providing a field Within said craft of predetermined intensityand without said craft of less intensity, and an actuating unit carriedby said parachute for opening said parachute outside of said craft, saidactuating unit including receiving means normally disposed within saidloop and responsive to said field for producing an output signal, andtimer means responsive to expiration of a predetermined time after thetermination of said output signal for actuating said parachute, saidoutput signal terminating in response to movement of said receivingmeans without said craft.

14. A safety system for actuating a survival device upon removal from apredetermined space comprising a survival device, a transmitting loopdefining said space, means to excite said loop with low power signalsfor producing an electro-magnetic field of predetermined intensitywithin said loop and of less intensity without said loop,

\ means is removed from said space.

References fitted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,040,616 Mapes May 12, 1936 2,122,145 Kear et al. June 28, 19382,257,277 Richter et a1 Sept. 30, 1941 2,508,303 Sturtevant May 16, 19502,719,685 Bender et =al Oct. 4, 1955 2,721,896 Foot Oct. 25, 19552,853,557 Lehman et al. Sept. 23, 1958

